Purchasing & Logistics Associate - Joe Produce | Produce Jobs, Produce Careers, Agriculture Jobs, Agriculture Careers

Purchasing & Logistics Associate

Job Description: 

Imperfect Produce is a mission-driven startup that is creating America’s first major consumer brand around “ugly” produce. One in five fruits and vegetables grown in America never make it off the farm due to tiny cosmetic defects that do not affect quality. Imperfect is on a mission to find a home for these misshapen fruits and veggies in people’s fridges by selling them for a 30-50% discount with a lovable, hip brand. We offer the most affordable and environmentally-friendly produce option, starting with our weekly produce delivery service across the Bay Area. In addition to building a scalable solution to fight food waste, our business model also generates extra revenue to California farmers.

Imperfect has raised significant investment and has been featured in major publications, including the New York Times, PBS NewsHour, NPR, Washington Post, Food and Wine, and the front page of the SF Chronicle. We have put together a team of the leading food waste entrepreneurs in the country and are working with a team of world-class advisors, including Doug Rauch, former President of Trader Joe’s.

About The Job

We're looking for a dedicated, enthusiastic, and highly motivated problem-solver who lives and dies by operations.  No detail is too big or too small to be overlooked. This is a unique opportunity for a talented individual to get in on the ground floor of one of the most visionary start-ups in the sustainable food movement.

In this position, the candidate will be responsible for managing all purchasing of Imperfect Produce. They will input and manage purchase orders from an aggregated master availability list from both our farming partners and non-produce vendors. The scope is broad ranging from sourcing and vetting of new suppliers, vendor negotiation, placing and adjusting orders, tracking inventory and monitoring receiving reports. This person will be capable of quickly deciding on contingency plans when last minute availability issues occur and will work closely in planning future purchasing with the Operations and Sourcing Directors.

In this position, the candidate is also responsible for coordinating LTL shipments between vendors and the Imperfect packing facilities. This individual enjoys problem solving and negotiating the unexpected. He/She is HIGHLY organized and proficient in Excel, Goggle Docs and Quick Books.

Compensation/Salary: 
DOE
Responsibilities & Duties: 
  • Creating all purchase orders for product requested by Operations team.
  • Tracking shipments and updating the Operations team.
  • Quickly and effectively obtain replacement product due to shorted orders or unexpected customer demand.
  • Researching LTL and full TL carriers and continually improving logistics efficiencies and pricing.
  • Preparing and managing shipping documentation.
  • Managing shipping of product from pickup to delivery.
  • Verifying accuracy of all shipments.
  • Setting up and confirming timely pick-up and deliveries.
  • Tracking and updating of loads and cross-docks. 
Qualifications: 
  • 3 + years’ experience in the fresh produce industry
  • Has inside understanding of California growing regions, seasons and availability
  • Previous experience in purchasing and logistics for fresh produce.
  • A plus to understand all part of a logistics business – purchasing, operations and cold chain.
  • Experience working with a dynamic, fast paced multi-tasking team
  • Knowledge of inventory management and operations software
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills
  • Energetic and excited about Imperfect Produce’s Vision and Values
  • Highly organized and strong attention to detail
  • Ability to problem-solve and think on your feet (A.K.A. a mental juggler)
  • Excels at independent, unsupervised work

This is a growing business with a lot of departmental cross over. The individual must be comfortable wearing multiple hats. The candidate that succeeds in this position will be self-directed, professional, calm and respectful. 

Please include salary expectations in your cover letter.

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